The year is rapidly drawing to a close. In fact, emails, online stores and shopping centres are highlighting the days remaining until Christmas. I noticed, with a shock, that the countdown is listed now in days, not weeks.So I'm sure that, likewise, your ministry events and programs now focus on the upcoming Christmas holiday season and the end of the year.

Some churches and ministries take this opportunity to review the year and look toward the future. But, before you embark on an extended planning session within your ministry or with the church leadership team, check out these 5 planning tips.​

1. SET GOALSIt's easy to focus on the programs, the events, the tasks and the details of ministry. But you need to set specific goals in place first. Start your planning with your ministry vision and mission in front of you. Now, you can set your direction and goals within the context of your mission. And too, you have a framework for further planning and organisation. Remember to include prayer as an essential part of your planning, not just during your planning session. Pray and think through your ideas and thoughts concerning your ministry even before you formulate them into plans. There is adage that states, 'If you know how you did it, then God wasn't in it!' I think there is a lot of truth in that. Sometimes, we make our plans and then ask God to bless them instead of asking for His help and guidance first as we plan and prepare for ministry planning.

2. BALANCE YOUR EFFORTSPlanning can be exciting! It's great to brainstorm ideas, programs, events and possible directions in which your ministry and your church could be heading. Don't attempt too much at once. Open your ministry planner with the year view before you. Set your priorities in place first. Then consider other options. Spread events and programs evenly throughout the year, making sure that you have remembered specific days and events that will already be a part of your year planning- Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter etc. ​

3. CREATE ORGANISATION SYSTEMSYour planning will be more effective if you have systems in place that will enable you to take your ideas from planning to implementation. It's great to plan. But then you must do something with it. A good organisational system will enable you to set out your plans within realistic time frames to develop these ideas plus the resources required to implement your plans.​

Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now. -- Alan Lakein--​

The 2016 Ministry Planner helps with all your ministry planning: year-to-a-page, month-to-a-page highlighting your month's focus, prayer needs, special events/programs ideas and notes, plus a list of special days and events throughout the year to include in your plans. You can read about it HERE.​

4. COMMIT TO YOUR PLANI know this seems a 'given.' But it's easy to take the time and effort to carefully organise your efforts for the upcoming year before filing it carefully away and forgetting it. Share your plans with your team and encourage their discussion and involvement. Commit to doing it! Take action!​

5. KEEP IT TOGETHER​It's helpful if you keep your planner with you. Consider placing it with your other weekly and daily ministry planning and add to it whenever necessary. (My Brilliant Kidmin Planner coming soon!) Make it a regular habit to check, review and refresh your plans.